Method, system, and computer-readable medium for managing and collecting receivables

ABSTRACT

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for managing and collecting receivables are disclosed.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application: (i) is related to, and claims the prioritybenefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/793,091,filed Mar. 15, 2013; and (ii) is related to, claims the priority benefitof, and is a continuation in part application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/717,194, filed Dec. 17, 2012, which is a continuationapplication of, and claims priority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/106,676, filed May 12, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,335,740, which isrelated to, and claims the priority benefit of, U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/333,888, filed May 12, 2010, U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 61/418,345, filed Nov. 30, 2010, and U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/444,567, filed Feb. 18, 2011.The contents of the foregoing applications are hereby incorporated byreference in their entirety into this disclosure.

BACKGROUND

The receivables management industry deals with the collection of unpaiddebt in all sectors of the economy (e.g., health care, student loans,credit cards, and retail). While some entities may try to collect theirown unpaid debts, typically the delinquent accounts are turned over to athird party debt collector to manage the process of collecting theunpaid amounts. Such debt collectors employ various strategies tocollect on unpaid accounts, such as making multiple phone calls to thedebtor and sending a series of letters to the debtor's house. Whileimplementation of one strategy for all debtors may be simple, it hasbeen found that different and more tailored strategies for differenttypes of debts are more effective and maximize returns on collectionefforts. Unfortunately, such tailored strategies are costly anddifficult to implement and manage.

Moreover, due to the variety of different industries and debtors that adebt collector deals with, it is difficult to determine theeffectiveness of different strategies and what changes should be made tosuch strategies on a timely basis. As a result, some accounts becomeinactive and the debt collection process fails. It is also not abnormalfor a debt collector to be contractually obligated to only use certaindebt collection strategies for a client's account. In implementing suchstrategies, it is often difficult for a debt collector to ensure suchobligations are being met. Without the ability to properly monitor andmanage the implemented strategies, it becomes extremely difficult todetermine the effectiveness of the strategies, comply with clientrequirements, and make improvements to such strategies.

Debt collectors understand that the effectiveness of each collectionstrategy depends upon obtaining debtor information (e.g., personalcontact information, debtor demographic information, and the like) andbeing able to provide that information to their collection agents in aneffective, timely manner. Such account information is obtained through avariety of sources, including the owners of the account, data serviceproviders and the collection agents working the account. Previouscollection systems had no means for determining the accuracy orrelevancy of such information obtained from such sources. As a result,when a past due account is assigned to a debt collector, the collectionagent working such account may have several addresses and phone numbersassociated with such account with no real way of knowing which addressor phone number to use to successfully contact the debtor. In the past,debt collectors have relied on their collection agents to monitor,manage, and update such debtor information through a trial and errorprocess. As such, the effectiveness of such systems is driven by theability of the collection agents to weed out faulty or incorrectinformation. Unfortunately, collection agents are often unable toeffectively perform these functions in an accurate and timely manner,which has resulted in wasted effort and reduced success rates incollecting unpaid amounts.

Accordingly, there exists a need for a way to effectively andefficiently display, manage, sort through, keep track of, and verifyaccount information of debtors for the purposes of improving collectionpractices.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure discloses a method, system, and computer-readablemedium for managing and collecting receivables. Such a method formanaging and collecting receivables includes providing at least onepre-existing account with first account information, the first accountinformation having first account party data and providing at least onenew account, each new account comprising new account information, thenew account information having new account party data. The method alsoincludes determining whether the first account party data of thepre-existing account matches the new account party data of the at leastone new account and if so, tying the at least one new account with thematching pre-existing account to create a tied account. It should benoted that the tying of accounts is optional, even when a match has beenmade. The method further includes calculating a score for any unmatchednew account and any tied account based on at least one financialparameter and determining one or more collection strategies for anyunmatched new account and any tied account based on the calculatedscore. The method also includes applying one or more collectionstrategies to any unmatched new account and any tied account. The one ormore strategies may then be adjusted based on comparing the cost of thestrategy to potential fee income expected based on that strategy.

The computer-readable medium for managing and collecting receivablesincludes a computer program for managing and collecting receivables. Thecomputer-readable medium includes code portions to perform the stepsdescribed above for the method that are stored therein.

A system for managing and collecting receivables includes a data storageunit that stores at least one pre-existing account with first accountinformation, the first account information having first account partydata and at least one new account, each new account comprising newaccount information, the new account information having new accountparty data. The system also includes a computer system that isconfigured to determine whether the first account party data of thepre-existing account matches the new account party data of the at leastone new account and if so, the computer system may tie the at least onenew account with the matching pre-existing account to create a tiedaccount. It should be noted that the tying of accounts is optional, evenwhen a match has been made. Typically, the tying of accounts isconditional upon the strategy applied and also upon restrictionsinherent in client contractual obligations. The computer system is alsoconfigured to calculate a score for any unmatched new account and anytied account based on at least one financial parameter, determine one ormore collection strategies for any unmatched new account and any tiedaccount based on the calculated score and/or other parameters, and applyone or more collection strategies to any unmatched new account and anytied account.

The present disclosure includes disclosure of tools and methods tomonitor, manage, and update account information based around a strategythat sorts through various inputs of information regarding the debtorand scores such information so that a collection agent can determinewhat the best information to use is. In this manner, the system takesover control from the collection agent the process of determining andverifying what data to use. The collection agent becomes a data inputinstead of the primary driver of the system. Moreover, the presentdisclosure provides an efficient means of organizing, displaying andproviding information to a collection agent so that a collection agentcan have immediate and easy access to relevant and key informationneeded to discuss the past due account with the responsible parties onsuch account.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of this disclosure, and the manner ofattaining them, will be more apparent and better understood by referenceto the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 a shows a flowchart of a method of managing and collectingreceivables according to at least one embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 1 b shows a flowchart of a method of managing and collectingreceivables according to at least one embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 1 c shows a flowchart of a method of optimizing data according toat least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 d shows a flowchart of a method of monitoring profit margins ofaccounts according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 e shows a flowchart of a method of monitoring profit margins ofaccounts according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 f shows a flowchart of a method of monitoring profit margins ofaccounts according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2-10 illustrate a graphical user interface of the StrategyCommander tool according to at least one embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 11-14 illustrate a graphical user interface of the Best Data toolaccording to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 15-19 illustrate a graphical user interface of the Margin Watchtool according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 20 shows a computer-implemented method for facilitating thecollection of receivables according to at least one embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIGS. 21 a-21 n illustrate a graphical user interface of CollectionManagement tool according to at least one embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 22 shows an exemplary embodiment of a computer-implemented methodfor the management and collection of receivables according to at leastone embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 23 shows a block diagram of at least one embodiment of a system formanagement and collection of receivables according to the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of thepresent disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodimentsillustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used todescribe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitationof the scope of this disclosure is thereby intended.

The present disclosure enables executives, business managers, and othersthat manage debt collection to successfully implement and improve theircollection strategies. The present disclosure provides debt collectorswith the needed flexibility in applying collection strategies, which maylead to increased effectiveness and the prevention of accounts frombeing left in a state of inactivity. The present disclosure includes amethod, system, and computer-readable medium for managing and collectingreceivables to effectively implement collection strategies, ensureconformance with each strategy, validate the effectiveness of eachstrategy, and continuously improve each strategy.

Embodiments of a method for managing receivables are shown in FIGS. 1 aand 1 b. In FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, the method 100 begins with the Match step110, which includes evaluating incoming accounts to determine whether ornot the name on each new account (“account party”) matches the name on apre-existing account (“pre-existing account party”). Apart from thedebtor's name on the accounts, the account information may include thedebtor's employer's information, debtor's home address and telephonenumber, debtor's social security number, and the like. A match indicatesthat the new account party is, in fact, the same entity as thepre-existing account party. The account information may be provided tothe Match step 110 in a variety of ways, such as, for example, importedfrom a computer network or manually entered by a user. As shown in FIG.1 b, if the account party is not identified by the Match step 110 (anunmatched account), then one or more of the subsequent steps in themethod 100 may be omitted. In FIG. 1 b, for example, the Tie Accountsstep 140 (discussed below) may be optional if the account party isdetermined to not match with any pre-existing account parties.

Typically, debt collectors utilize one or more computer databases tostore account information. For example, a computer database may contain,among other things, account information such as the balance on theaccount, the debtor's name and address, and the payment history of thedebtor.

As shown in FIG. 1 b, it should be noted that if a match is identifiedin the Match step 110 or if new data is identified in the Fact Findingstep 130 (discussed below), the account information may be checked inthe Optimization step 115. The Optimization step 115 may include themethod of optimizing data 100 c as described below or various othermethods of determining how current the account information is at thattime. If the account information is determined to be current in theOptimization step 115, then the next step after the Optimization step115 may be the Tie Accounts step 140 or may be directly to the Filterstep 150. As shown in FIG. 1 b, if the account information is determinednot to be current in the Optimization step 115, then the next step afterthe Optimization step 115 may be the Scoring step 120 (discussed below).

As shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 n FIG. 1 b (assuming there is no match inMatch step 110), the next step in this embodiment of method 100 may bethe Scoring step 120. The Scoring step 120 includes a scoring model thatis used to calculate a collectability score for each account party. Forexample, the scoring model may determine that an account party that hasrecently gone through bankruptcy has a low collectability score (e.g.,two), while an account party that has only missed a few payments andnever gone through bankruptcy may have a relatively high collectabilityscore (e.g., seven). While any type of financial parameters can be usedto determine a collectability score, some typical examples of parametersused in scoring models include, but are not limited to, delinquencyhistory (number of times delinquent, maximum delinquency days, mostrecent delinquency date), total assets of the account party, bankruptcy,fraud, and employment information.

As shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, the next step in this embodiment ofmethod 100 may be the Fact Finding step 130. In general, the FactFinding step 130 may involve purchasing data (e.g. credit reports orupdated contact information) to assist in the collection effort. TheFact Finding step 130 may also include verifying the informationprovided by the account party (e.g., bankruptcy verification). The FactFinding step 130 may allow for such verification and collection of datathrough the use of independent data vendors' services. In thisembodiment, method 100 permits the debt collector to electronicallyaccess such services through the internet. As shown in FIG. 1 b, theFact Finding step 130 may be bypassed if the Match step 110 identifiesthe account party as a pre-existing account party because thepre-existing account may already have all the needed information. Asshown in FIG. 1 b, if the Fact Finding step 130 obtains new information,the new information may be checked to determine how current it is viathe Optimization step 115.

The collectability score calculated in the Scoring Step 120 can be usedto determine how much effort (and cost) is expended in the Fact Findingstep 130 for a particular account. As would be expected, the FactFinding step 130 may be more extensive (and generally more expensive)for accounts with higher outstanding balances. For example, when anaccount party has a high account balance and a high collectabilityscore, the debt collector may set-up the Fact Finding step 130 toperform a rigorous (and more expensive) review of the accountinformation and account party. On the other hand, the Fact Finding step130 may be less extensive and rigorous if the account has a relativelylow collectability score and/or lower outstanding account balance.

The Fact Finding step 130 may also provide debt collectors with theneeded capability of efficiently managing and updating personalinformation of debtors so as to enhance their effectiveness incollection and the prevention of accounts from being left in a state ofinactivity. For instance, the Fact Finding step 130 may include a methodof optimizing data 100 c as shown in FIG. 1 c. In FIG. 1 c, the method100 c begins with the step of receiving or providing first account partydata 110 c. It should be noted that the method 100 c for optimizing dataof the present disclosure may be used on its own or along with or tocomplement one or more programs. Of course, if the method 100 c is partof method 100, then the step of receiving data 110 c in method 100 c maysimply be or be part of the Match step 110. The account party data mayinclude information about the debtor, including, but not limited to,demographics, place of employment, assets, and attorney.

The source of the first account party data in step 110 c may typicallybe an original creditor, data services vendors, and collection andattorney firms to which a receivables management firm outsources work.In addition, the source of the first account party data may be anotherentity or may be inputted manually by the debt collector who may havethe information from the debtor or another entity. It should be notedthat, as described below, the first account party data may notnecessarily be the original account party data from a creditor or thelike. As will be understood from the discussion below, the first accountparty data may include the best data from a previous iteration of method100 c.

As shown in FIG. 1 c, the next step in method 100 c may be receivingsecond account party data 120 c. The source of the second account partydata in step 120 c may be from one or more sources, including, but notlimited to, a user with direct access to the account information (e.g.,a user of Ontario Systems, LLC's Collect Savvy™ system), the source ofthe first account party data, a collection or attorney vendor, or a dataservices vendor (e.g., a vendor of Ontario Systems, LLC's Connect Savvy™network).

As shown in FIG. 1 c, the next step in method 100 c may be determiningthe best data from the first and second account party data 130 c. Bestdata refers to account party data that is determined to be the mostcurrent relative to the other account party information being consideredfor collection purposes. The best data from the first and second accountparty data may be determined by comparing the source of each of thefirst and second account party data and the age of the first and seconddata. For instance, best data may be based on whichever data is newer,the ranking of sources (e.g., source A is considered to have moretrustworthy data over source B), the completeness of the data received,or a combination of such rules. For example, step 130 c may includecomparing the age of the place of employment information for the firstaccount party data against the age of the place of employmentinformation for the second account party data. The rules determining thebest data may be created manually, imported from another entity,codified within the system, or the like.

The ranking of sources for best data purposes may typically be based onthe quality of the sources. As an example, the ranking of the sourcesfrom best to worst quality may be a user of Ontario Systems, LLC'sCollect Savvy™ system, a vendor of Ontario Systems, LLC's Connect Savvy™network, a vendor (e.g., attorney or agency) to whom the account wasforwarded, migrated data, and an update from the original source. In oneexample, if the first account party data has existed more than apredetermined amount of time (e.g., 180 days), step 130 e may bypass anyconsideration of the quality of the sources and determine that thesecond account party data is the best data. It should be noted that ifthe first and second account party data are the same, the best data willsimply be the first account party data.

As shown in FIG. 1 c, the next step in method 100 e may be applying thedetermined best data to the current account party data 140 c, which mayinclude updating the current account party data with the determined bestdata. For example, the residential address for an account party (JohnSmith) may be currently saved in a computer database as Address A. Asaccount party data for John Smith is received from various sources instep 120 c, the best data out of the account party data from the varioussources is determined in step 130 c. If the best data includes aresidential address of Address B, then the computer database may beupdated in step 140 c by replacing Address A with Address B in thecurrent account party data. Of course, if the incoming best data alreadyexists in the computer database as the current account party data, thenthe account party data may not be updated.

As shown in FIG. 1 c, the next step in method 100 c may optionally besharing the current account party data 150 c, which may include sendingcurrent account party data to various clients. For example, once amonth, every day, or upon the occurrence of every update, the accountparty data for one or more clients may be updated from the entity thatdetermines best data. The various clients that receive updates toaccount party data may sign up via contracts, opt-in provisions, orother mechanisms. In some cases, the step of sharing the account partydata 150 c will be excluded from the system because an agreement betweentwo parties (e.g., contractual restrictions), a law governing therelationship between two entities (e.g., privacy regulations), and thelike may limit the use and sharing of personal and identifyinginformation. For instance, privacy laws (e.g., Health InsurancePortability and Accountability Act) may limit the updated informationthat can be shared with others. The result is that some parties orentities may not be able to receive the best data for a given accountparty.

It should be noted that the method 100 c described above may be used fora single account or across several accounts for the same account party.For instance, the method 100 c may consider the account party data forseveral accounts relating to the same party and provide each of theaccounts with the best data for the account party from the analysis ofall accounts.

Typically, each of the steps described above for method 100 cautomatically processes incoming account information, although one ormore of the steps may not be automatic or automated. This automationeliminates the human error of accidentally disregarding incoming accountinformation, failing to properly select the best data, or followinginefficient methods of determining the best data. As described below,the method 100 c may be implemented into a computer-readable medium andbe carried out with the aid of a computer.

As shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, the next step in this embodiment ofmethod 100 may optionally be the Tie Accounts step 140. The Tie Accountsstep 140 includes grouping accounts together (such that they are “tied”together) by using the information obtained in the Match step 110,Scoring step 120, and/or Fact Finding step 130. The Tie Accounts step140 utilizes tie options (or rules) to determine how and when accountsare tied together. For example, if the debt collector chooses, theaccounts could be tied together only when all the responsible parties onthe accounts are the same (e.g., the debtors are all the same on eachaccount) or when any one responsible party is common throughout all ofan account group (e.g., the debtor is the same but a different co-signoris listed on different accounts). Tied accounts generally have a betterchance of being collected on because the debt collector can tailor thestrategy (or combine multiple strategies into one strategy) forcollection in view of the other accounts. Tied accounts also provide agreater return on investment for the debt collector because the debtcollector is able to use a single action (e.g. one phone call) tocollect on multiple accounts. The Tie Accounts step 140 may be bypassedif the Match step 110 is unable to find a matching account party. Itshould be noted that the tying of accounts is optional, even when amatch has been made. Typically, the tying of accounts is conditionalupon the strategy applied and also upon restrictions inherent in clientcontractual obligations.

As shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, the next step in this embodiment ofmethod 100 may be the Filter Accounts step 150. The Filter Accounts step150 includes grouping/segmenting accounts and assigning collectionstrategies to such grouped/segmented accounts. The Filter Accounts step150 may use the information obtained from one or more of the Match step110, Scoring step 120, and/or Fact Finding step 130 to determine themost appropriate collection strategy for the grouped accounts. Forexample, grouped accounts with a high collectability score and a highbalance may have a more aggressive collection strategy than groupedaccounts with a low balance and low score. Each grouped account getsassigned a strategy which defines the collection approach to be taken onthat account from inception to inactivation. In another example, the newdata determined by the Fact Finding step 130 may cause a particularcollection strategy based on, for example, demographics such as the cityor state or the presence of bankruptcy information or assets orattorney.

In both scoring and grouping the accounts, the method 100 may rely onpre-defined standardized parameters provided by a vendor, such asOntario Systems, LLC or on customized parameters set by the user of themethod. For example, a debt collector may contractually agree that theaccounts of one of its large clients may only be subject to particularcollection strategies. As such, the Filter Accounts step 150 can be setby the debt collector only to select those permitted strategies fordelinquent accounts provided by that client. After assigning suchspecialized accounts controlled by contract or the like to theirstrategies, the Filter Accounts step 150 may then segment the remainingaccounts into the strategies it determines will provide the best returnon investment.

The Filter Accounts step 150 may also include defining multiplecompeting collection strategies and diverting accounts by, for example,number of accounts or account balance from a champion strategy (whichmay be described as a strategy that is typically or has been recentlyemployed for such accounts) to a challenger strategy (which may bedescribed as a strategy different from what is typically or recentlyemployed for such accounts). The Filter Accounts step 150 may use theaccount data obtained from the Match step 110, Scoring step 120, and/orFact Finding step 130 to determine how to segment such accounts. Oncethe accounts have been segmented, a percentage of the segmented accountsmay be assigned to the challenger strategy while the remainder of theaccounts are provided to the champion strategy. The accounts are chosenat random from the segment to preserve the integrity of the challengerstrategy experiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the next step in this embodiment of method 100 maybe the Strategy Application step 160. Generally, the StrategyApplication step 160 includes implementing the strategies selected forthe accounts in the Filter Accounts step 150. The Strategy Applicationstep 160 may also include tracking settings, configurations, and otherdata regarding accounts and collection strategies. In this regard, theStrategy Application step 160 may include recording the cost of workactivity on a per account basis and reacting once that cost approaches,meets, or exceeds a predetermined percentage of the desired potentialfees to be earned on that account. Through such activity, the StrategyApplication step 160 may provide a way to effectively lower the cost ofrecovery while ensuring that a debt collector's resources are applied toaccounts that present the highest potential margin of recovery.

One embodiment of such a method for monitoring profit margins ofaccounts is shown in FIG. 1 d. In FIG. 1 d, the method 100 d begins withthe Margin Watch Threshold step 110 d, which includes selecting adesired percentage of the potential fee for recovery of one or moreaccounts. The resultant fee amount (i.e., the desired percentagemultiplied by the potential fee) is hereinafter called the Margin WatchThreshold. The Margin Watch Threshold step 110 d may additionallyinclude configuring various others collection features. For example, thedebt collector may choose acceptable strategies for collection oncertain accounts. It should also be noted that pre-defined standardizedparameters provided by a vendor, such as Ontario Systems, LLC, may beimplemented such that a debt collector would not be required to choosesuch features. It should be noted that the method for monitoring profitmargins of accounts may not be invoked until or unless expenses areaccumulated.

As shown in FIG. 1 d, the next step in method 100 d is the Margin WatchExpenses step 120 d, which includes tracking the cost of recoveryefforts (“Margin Watch Expenses”) on each account. The Margin WatchExpenses step 120 d includes collecting the costs of labor (e.g., thesalary paid to an account representative working an account), makingtelephone calls, letters (e.g., the cost of an in-house letter thatincludes postage and printing costs), commission, and various othercosts of recovery, such as costs associated with data products andservices from vendors (e.g., Connect Savvy services).

The Margin Watch Expenses step 120 d may calculate Margin Watch Expensesbased on when and the amount of time that an account representative (orother user) works an account, the hourly rate or salary of therepresentative (or other user), data service that a user requests on anaccount (e.g., a type of Collect Savvy service), as well as variousother cost factors encountered in collection activity.

Of course, in order to calculate Margin Watch Expenses, a cost must beattributed to various activities. In some cases, the costs are readilyavailable, such as, for example, the cost of a stamp. The cost of otheractivities may need to be approximated by the debt collector. Forinstance, the debt collector may need to set system-wide costs on aninternal business unit, costs for printing and mailing a letter, costsfor telephone calls, and costs for other activities relating to acollection strategy. It should be noted that the costs of variousservices (e.g., Connect Savvy) may be determined from subscriptiontables. FIG. 1 e illustrates how expenses for labor may be calculatedfor the Margin Watch Expenses step 120 d. FIG. 1 f illustrates howexpenses for letters and services may be calculated for the Margin WatchExpenses step 120 d. In FIG. 1 f, the services are for Connect Savvy.

When an account in a tied account group incurs Margin Watch Expenses,the costs are typically dispersed evenly across all accounts in the tiedaccount group. For example, suppose a tied account group containsaccount 1, account 2, and account 3. If account 1 incurs an expense of$30, $10 is added to the balance of the costs for each account.Alternatively, the costs may be dispersed according to a predeterminedset of rules.

The Margin Watch Expenses step 120 d may also include creating a recordof costs, such as labor costs, at various times and recording totalMargin Watch Expenses for particular accounts at various times.

As shown in FIG. 1 d, the next step in method 100 d is the Monitoringand Triggering Event step 130 d, which includes monitoring the MarginWatch Expenses and comparing the Margin Watch Expenses with the MarginWatch Threshold for one or more accounts. When Margin Watch Expensesapproach, meet, or exceed the Margin Watch Threshold on an account (an“Event”), the Monitoring and Triggering Event step 130 d may performpredetermined actions. Typically, the actions performed at theoccurrence of an Event are directed to mitigating additional MarginWatch Expenses, such as by limiting or adjusting collection activitiesor stopping work on the account altogether. Instead of followingpredetermined actions at the occurrence of an Event, it should be notedthat the Monitoring and Event step 130 d may prompt users to reconfigurecollection strategies to maximize return on collection activities. TheMonitoring and Event step 130 d may also include producing a report atspecified times or intervals or at the direction of a user to identifyaccounts that have exceeded their particular Margin Watch Threshold.

Each of the steps described above for method 100 d may be automated,although one or more of the steps may not be automatic or automated,such as, for example, the Margin Watch Threshold step 110 d. Theautomation of the steps eliminates the human error of accidentallyfailing to monitor the expenses incurred on an account and/or followingan inefficient or wasteful collection strategy. As described below, themethod 100 d may be implemented into a computer-readable storage mediumand be carried out with the aid of a computer.

The Strategy Application step 160 may include analyzing the history andeffectiveness of collection strategies. Such analysis can includeallowing the debt collector to run reports on a near-real time basis todemonstrate the effectiveness of the strategies being employed for agroup of accounts. For example, the champion and challenger strategiesmay be compared to determine which is most efficient and profitable.Based upon this comparison of such champion and challenger strategies,collection strategies themselves may be improved and collection effortsof collection managers may benefit by knowing which strategies areeffective for particular accounts. By knowing which of (or what aspectsof) the champion or challenger strategies are successful (such as byanalyzing various phases and cycles, discussed below), a hybrid strategymay be created by adopting the best aspects of each of the collectionstrategies.

The Strategy Application step 160 may also break-up the processing of anaccount into phases. For example, a first phase may be a Pre Collectphase which may be followed by a Collections phase. Each phase may befurther divided into cycles. Each cycle comprises the actions and orderof actions that are taken for accounts. Cycles may be activity ortime-based. For example, an activity-based cycle may involve a one-timepersonal visit to the debtor's home. Another example might be a reviewof a debtor's employment situation to prepare a request for wagegarnishment.

A time-based cycle may be, for example, sending letters to the debtor'shome twice a month for six months. Each action may be executedconditionally. For example, an action may be repeated because aprecondition has not been satisfied, such as there being no responsefrom the debtor in view of phone calls to debtor's phone. The actionsmay also be grouped together into programs to effortlessly utilize thesame pattern of actions in multiple phases in the strategy. For example,the programs may include repeated calling or multiple letters or emails.

The Strategy Application step 160 also includes the ability to react tospecial circumstances by taking additional and/or alternate paths.Alternate paths to the collection workflow are described as stages.Accounts are typically moved into stages as a response to an event. Forexample, the debt collector may have obtained a payment arrangement foran account. The account would then be moved into a stage which wouldmonitor the progress of the payment arrangement rather than continuingwith the normal collection activity as specified by the phase cycle.When an account is moved into a stage, the activity specified by thephase cycle is paused. Once the stage has completed, the cycle isresumed unless the exit criteria for the cycle has already been met(e.g., payment has been received). Therefore, the Strategy Applicationstep 160 monitors phases and cycles to track an account's progress inthe collection process and further maximizes collection recovery.

It should be noted that a method comprising each of the Matching step110, Filter step 150, and Strategy Application step 160 may comprise oneembodiment of the present disclosure. That is, the Scoring step 120,Fact Finding step 130, and Tie Accounts step 140 may be optional in viewof the outcome of the Matching step 110.

Typically, each of the steps described above for method 100 automatically advance accounts through the collection process, although one ormore of the steps may not be automatic or automated. This automationeliminates the human error of accidentally omitting accounts from beingworked, failing to comply with client requirement, and/or following aninefficient collection strategy. In particular, the Filter step 150 andStrategy Application step 160 may be automatically executed such thatstrategies are implemented and improved efficiently and quickly. Asdescribed below, the method 100 may be implemented into acomputer-readable medium and be carried out with the aid of a computer.

A computer-readable medium, such as a non-volatile storage medium, maycomprise the steps of the methods for managing receivables describedherein. For instance, the methods may be incorporated into a computerprogram to automatically monitor the accounts of debtors, automaticallydetermine what collection strategy should be applied to a particularaccount, automatically apply the selected strategy to the particularaccount, and automatically monitor, manage, and update accountinformation. The computer program may be generated in any softwarelanguage or framework such as C#, COBOL, C++, Microsoft® .NET Frameworkor the like.

The computer-readable medium for performing the embodiments of thepresent disclosure may include computer-readable program code portions,such as a series of computer instructions, embodied in thecomputer-readable medium. It should be understood that thecomputer-readable program code portions may include separate executableportions for performing distinct functions to accomplish embodiments ofthe present disclosure. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more ofthe computer-readable program portions may include one or moreexecutable portions for performing more than one function to therebyaccomplish embodiments of the process of the present disclosure.

In conjunction with the computer-readable medium, a computer thatincludes a processor, such as a programmable-variety processorresponsive to software instructions, a hardwired state machine, or acombination of these may be used to carryout the method disclosed above.Such computers may also include memory, which in conjunction with theprocessor is used to process data and store information. Such memory caninclude one or more types of solid state memory, magnetic memory, oroptical memory, just to name a few. By way of non-limiting example, thememory can include solid state electronic random access memory (RAM);sequential access memory (SAM), such as first-in, first-out (FIFO)variety or last-in, first-out (LIFO) variety; programmable read onlymemory (PROM); electronically programmable read only memory (EPROM); orelectronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM); anoptical disc memory (such as a DVD or CD-ROM); a magnetically encodedhard disc, floppy disc, tape, or cartridge media; or a combination ofthese memory types. In addition, the memory may be volatile,non-volatile, or a hybrid combination of volatile and non-volatilevarieties. The memory may include removable memory, such as, forexample, memory in the form of a non-volatile electronic memory unit; anoptical memory disk (such as a DVD or CD ROM); a magnetically encodedhard disk, floppy disk, tape, or cartridge media; or a combination ofthese or other removable memory types.

The computers described above may also include a display upon whichinformation may be displayed in a manner perceptible to the user, suchas, for example, a computer monitor, cathode ray tube, liquid crystaldisplay, light emitting diode display, touchpad or touchscreen display,and/or other means known in the art for emitting a visually perceptibleoutput. Such computers may also include one or more data entry, such as,for example, a keyboard, keypad, pointing device, mouse, touchpad,touchscreen, microphone, and/or other data entry means known in the art.Each computer also may comprise an audio display means such as one ormore loudspeakers and/or other means known in the art for emitting anaudibly perceptible output.

One or more such computers may be configured to be a server. Such aserver need not, however, be a single server. A server according to thepresent disclosure may comprise a plurality of servers or othercomputing devices or systems connected by hardware and software thatcollectively are operable to perform the computing functions accordingto the present disclosure. In at least one embodiment, such a server maybe operable to be a web server, configured and programmed to carry outthe computing functions according to the present disclosure.

In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, a database resideson such a server and stores information and data utilized in the courseof the present disclosure. For example, information about accounts thatare pending or may be pending in the future is stored in the database;information about a collection strategy should be applied to aparticular account; information for applying a selected strategy to aparticular account, information for generating the graphical userinterfaces disclosed herein is stored in the database; information formonitoring, managing, and updating account information; and informationabout users of systems according to the present disclosure, such ascollection agents, is stored in the database. In at least one embodimentof the present disclosure, such a database resides on a computing deviceremote from the server, provided the remote computing device is capableof bi-directional electronic communication with the server. Preferably,the remote computing device upon which the database resides may beelectronically connected to the server such that the remote computingdevice is in continuous bi-directional communication with the server. Itwill be appreciated that such database may comprise a plurality ofdatabases connected by software that collectively are operable toperform the functions according to the present disclosure.

The following discussion relating to FIGS. 2-10 describes an example ofa computer-readable medium that comprises the steps of the method 100described above. The computer program described in FIGS. 2-10 isreferred to herein as the Strategy Commander tool. FIGS. 2-10 showgraphical user interfaces of the Strategy Commander tool for varioussteps of the method 100 described above. The Strategy Commander toolprovides a centralized configuration and visualization area forreceivables management processes. It includes a completely automated andcontrolled execution of the collection strategy with both proactive andreactive processing. The Strategy Commander tool automates collectionprocesses, configuration, and visualization in order to incorporatebusiness or collection intelligence to prove or determine the mostsuccessful business strategies.

The Strategy Commander tool may be based on any development platform,such as Microsoft® Silverlight® application. While the Microsoft®Silverlight® application is used, any other number of developmentplatforms may be used. As noted above, the Strategy Commander toolincorporates business or collection intelligence to provide a user witha rich, context-aware interface for defining, maintaining, andevaluating the collection strategies and all collection configurations.It uses visualization techniques to make strategy process flow simple tounderstand. As described below, the Strategy Commander tool may includethe ability to drag and drop phases and the like, allowing easyalteration of the collection process flow. It also may offeroption-based detail definition to both provide overall clarity and fulltransparency to the details. For example, in the definition of a phasecycle, the user can optionally specify exit criteria such as number ofdays in the phase which allow further control over the process flow.

The Strategy Commander tool generally allows business executives andothers that manage receivables to define their desired collectionprocesses without the need for an IT administrator by providing auser-friendly application and automating many of the steps of operation.It maximizes efficiency of operations through a proactive approach tocollection process automation, a seamless transition between automatedand manual processes, and reaction to outside influences. Thiscombination of approaches allows overall collection strategy definitionwhile providing the necessary flexibility for individual accountcircumstances. It also incorporates visualization of the collectionprocesses and centralizes configuration in a single area to improvecomprehension of the complex collection processes. As noted herein, theStrategy Commander tool includes the ability to define multiplecompeting debt collection strategies and use business or collectionintelligence obtained by monitoring such processes to compare them anddefinitively prove one (or aspects of one or each) to be superior inprofit maximization.

As shown in FIG. 2, the Strategy Commander tool may keep track of avariety of lines of business. For example, the screen shot in FIG. 2displays 3 separate lines of business—credit card, medical self pay, andretail. The lines of business may include multiple accounts and are eachpart of the inventory for the Enterprise portion of the debt collectorthat is utilizing the Strategy Commander tool. For each line ofbusiness, inventory statistics for that particular line of business maybe displayed. For example, in FIG. 2, for the Credit Card line ofbusiness, the inventory statistics include pie charts showing whatpercentage of accounts are in the Strategy Application step 160 and whataccounts are in the Fact Finding step 130. Among other information, theinventory statistics may also include data about how much is beingmanaged for that line of business.

FIG. 3 shows a graphical user interface displaying results of theScoring step 120, which was described above. As shown in FIG. 3, theaccount balance in this embodiment is used to determine the score foreach account. As shown in FIG. 3, if the total balance of accounts isgreater than or equal to two thousand dollars, then the score is ten. Asdescribed above, other account information may determine or contributeto the score for each account.

FIG. 4 shows a graphical user interface displaying the options availablefor the Fact Finding step 130. In this example, the options includeservices to check for bankruptcy, debtor's credit including the score,debtor's address and telephone numbers, and probate issues. As notedabove, these services are typically provided by third parties orautomatically accessed by the tool. However, in other embodiments, thisinformation or service may be obtained or performed manually by a userof the Strategy Commander tool.

FIG. 5 a shows a graphical user interface displaying the number andaggregated balance of accounts being managed by the champion andchallenger strategies. As noted above, champion and challenger representdifferent strategies that can be compared to determine what strategy isbest for collecting money from a particular group of accounts or type ofdebt. FIG. 5 b shows a comparison of the results of the champion andchallenger strategies. The results for the champion and challengerstrategies shown in FIG. 5 b may provide a user with valuable insightinto what strategy is working. The Strategy Commander tool may also usethis information to automatically improve the collection process by, forexample, favoring the strategy with the better results and applying thatstrategy to more accounts.

FIG. 6 a shows a graphical user interface of the Filter step 150 wherethe rules that govern the Filter step 150 are selected and ordered. Therules may be put in a particular order by dragging and dropping eachorder in the desired place. FIG. 6 b shows a graphical user interface ofthe Filter step 150 where the rules selected and ordered in FIG. 6 a maybe set up with various criteria for identification and operation. FIG. 6c shows a graphical user interface of the Filter step 150 where thestrategy for each of the champion and challenger may be selected. Asnoted previously, the tool may select the appropriate strategiesautomatically based upon various factors, such as collectability scoreand the like. In addition, FIG. 6 c shows that the user may choose thepercent of accounts to be segmented from the Champion strategy andplaced under the Challenger strategy. The selection of the percent ofaccounts may also be done automatically by the tool.

FIG. 7 shows a graphical user interface for a line of business (CreditCard) including the phase progression and the stages for “ADT1: Andy'sstrategy.” As shown in FIG. 7, the phase progression may includevisualizations of the conditions for the collection flow. The possiblealternate paths or stages are also displayed with the ability to viewthe details of the program or activity for a given stage.

FIGS. 8 a and 8 b show a graphical user interface where the phaseprogression portion of FIG. 7 has been selected. The phase progressionvisualization may be altered by dragging and dropping phases. As shownin FIG. 8 a, the Collection phase is positioned beneath the Early OutService and PreCollect phases. After dragging and dropping theCollection phase next to the PreCollect phase, the Collection phase ispositioned next to the PreCollect phase (see FIG. 8 b). The alterationof the visualization (e.g., dragging and dropping phases) directlyaffects the operation of the collection process. In other words, changesto the visualization of the phase progression may result in changes tothe collection process performed by the system not just thevisualization.

FIG. 9 a shows a graphical user interface where the programs for cyclesof phases may be chosen. For example, as shown in FIG. 9 a, Cycle 1 isselected to have a program of aggressive calls, which may includemultiple calls per day, per week, or per month. FIG. 9 b shows agraphical user interface where the repetition of activity (e.g., phonecalls) may be selected. FIG. 9 c shows a graphical user interface wherethe exit criteria for the cycle may be chosen. As noted previously, thetool may select the appropriate programs and related featuresautomatically. FIG. 10 shows a visualization of the conditions forexecuting the steps of a program.

The following discussion relating to FIGS. 11-14 describes an example ofa computer-readable medium that comprises the steps of the method 100 cdescribed above. The computer program described in FIGS. 11-14 isreferred to herein as the Best Data tool. It should be noted that theBest Data tool may be on its own or along with or to complement one ormore programs. The Best Data tool may also be part of a program, such asa part of the Strategy Commander tool. FIGS. 11-14 show a graphical userinterface of the debt collection software showing the results of theBest Data tool for various steps of the method 100 c described above.The Best Data tool provides a centralized configuration andvisualization area for account party data management processes. It mayinclude a completely automated and controlled execution of the dataoptimization with both proactive and reactive processing. It should benoted that various aspects of the Best Data tool may be manually driven.For instance, the Best Data tool may present the user with itssuggestion for best data but allow the user to ultimately choose.

The Best Data tool may be based on any development platform, such asMicrosoft® Silverlight® application. While the Microsoft® Silverlight®application may be used, any other number of development platforms mayalso be used. As noted above, the Best Data tool incorporates businessand collection intelligence to provide a user with a rich, context-awareinterface for managing account party data, including continuously orperiodically updating the account party data. It uses visualizationtechniques to make account party data updates easy to identify. The BestData tool generally allows debt collectors to manage account party dataautomatically without the need to analyze each and every incoming sourceof information.

FIG. 11 shows a graphical user interface of the Best Data tool showingdemographic information for an account party (Brian Smith). The BestData tool may permit manual entry of demographic information or otherinformation and/or may be configured to receive such information fromvarious electronic sources.

FIG. 12 shows a graphical user interface of the Best Data tool showingAccount Party Summary Details and Account Party Details. In this case,the Account Party Summary Details provides the current account partydata (best data). The Account Party Details provides a subset of theinformation of the Account Party Summary Details that can be shared witha particular client. FIG. 13 shows a graphical user interface of theBest Data tool showing an example of a manual update of the accountparty's address. FIG. 14 shows that the change in address in FIG. 13 wasdetermined to be the best data by the Best Data tool. As a result, theaddress for Brian Smith has been updated to the 123 N. High Street.

It should be noted that the method, system, and computer-readable mediumfor optimizing data of the present disclosure may be used along with orto complement one or more programs. For example, a program that isdesigned to maximize collection efforts through testing collectionstrategies and choose the best collection strategy may utilize the BestData tool to manage the personal account information for debtors.

The following discussion relating to FIGS. 15-19 describes an example ofa computer-readable storage medium that comprises the steps of themethod 100 d described above. The computer program described in FIGS.15-19 is referred to herein as the Margin Watch tool. FIGS. 15-19 showgraphical user interfaces of the Margin Watch tool for various steps ofthe method 100 d described above. The Margin Watch tool provides acentralized configuration and visualization area for receivablesmanagement processes.

The Margin Watch tool may be based on any development platform, such asMicrosoft® Dynamics® CRM. While the Microsoft® Dynamics® CRM is used,any other number of development platforms may be used. The Margin Watchtool incorporates business or collection intelligence to provide a userwith a rich, context-aware interface for monitoring profit margins onaccounts. The Margin Watch tool may include the ability for a user toreview trends and specific activities for a particular account. It alsomay offer option-based detail definition to both provide overall clarityand full transparency to the details. For example, the user mayoptionally specify particular event actions such that the user isprompted for input in certain circumstances, such as, for example, whenMargin Watch Expenses approach the Margin Watch Threshold.

The Margin Watch tool generally allows business executives and othersthat manage receivables to monitor profit margins for accounts withoutthe need for an IT administrator by providing a user-friendlyapplication and automating many of the steps of operation. It improvesefficiency of operations through a proactive approach to collectionprocess automation.

As shown in FIG. 15, the Margin Watch tool may include a client contractform configured to receive a Margin Watch Threshold percentage. Thecontract form in FIG. 15 displays minimum and default settlementpercentages, down payment default percent, and a Margin Watch Thresholdpercentage. In FIG. 15, the Margin Watch Threshold percentage isselected to be fifty (50) percent.

FIG. 16 shows a graphical user interface displaying a costing window andtimer. As shown in FIG. 16, a history of costs, including wage,telephone, service fees, and letter costs, may be displayed. Also shownin FIG. 16, a costing window may include an indication of the number oftied accounts and the debt in each of those accounts, the margin watchthreshold rollup, and potential fee rollup. The potential fee rollupvalue indicates the contingency fee amount that may be received forcollecting the account or accounts from the client(s) who listed theaccount or accounts. The margin watch threshold rollup value indicatesthe sum Margin Watch Threshold figures for the account or accounts thatare tied. FIG. 16 also shows two types of timers, which are located atthe top of the screen next to the Refresh button. In FIG. 16, one timerindicates the total time (namely, 17:21:45) that has been spent workingon the accounts. The other timer shown in FIG. 16 indicates the totaltime (namely 00:15) that has been spent working on the account duringthis session. Of course, various other timers may be displayed to showtime breakdowns. It should be noted that the timers may be used forcalculating costs during the Margin Watch Expenses step 120 c.

FIG. 17 shows a graphical user interface displaying an account screen.As shown in FIG. 17, the account screen may include demographicinformation for the account holder, insurance information, accountinformation, status of the account, and notes regarding activity on theaccount. Under the Status window of FIG. 17, the cost of expenses forrecovery is shown as $9.53. It should be noted that the value of thecost may be highlighted various colors or blink in certain situations.For example, the value of the cost and the term “Cost” may behighlighted red when the Margin Watch Expenses have exceeded the MarginWatch Threshold, highlighted yellow when the Margin Watch Expenses enterwithin a predetermined range of the Margin Watch Threshold, highlightedgreen as long as the Margin Watch Expenses are outside of thepredetermined range and do not exceed the Margin Watch Threshold. Ofcourse, various other information in the Margin Watch tool may becolored, blinking, flashing, or the like to alert the user to aparticular situation, including the occurrence of an Event.

FIG. 18 shows a graphical user interface that provides a user with theability to customize the actions that will occur because of the occasionof various events, including what phase cycles are implemented for anaccount. For example, one event in FIG. 18 is “Margin Watch ThresholdReached” along with the corresponding “Wind Up Activity.” A user mayselect the Wind Up Activity icon to customize what actions will be takenwhen the Margin Watch Threshold is reached. For instance, FIG. 19 showsan example of a graphical user interface allowing for customization ofthe Wind Up Activity that may be run after Margin Watch Expenses exceedthe Margin Watch Threshold. As shown in FIG. 19, the actions selectedmay include sending a letter, waiting for a period of time, and enteringa particular stage. In FIG. 19, the action selected is Suspended, whichmay include terminating collection activities.

The present disclosure satisfies this need by providing tools andmethods to effectively monitor, manage, and update account informationbased around a strategy that sorts through various inputs of informationregarding the debtor and scores such information so that a collectionagent can determine what the best information to use is. In this manner,the system takes over control from the collection agent the process ofdetermining and verifying what data to use. As such, the collectionagent becomes a data input instead of the primary driver of the system.Moreover, the present disclosure provides an efficient means oforganizing, displaying and providing information to a collection agentso that a collection agent can have immediate and easy access torelevant and key information needed to discuss the past due account withthe responsible parties on such account.

FIG. 20 shows a computer-implemented method for facilitating thecollection of receivables 1000 according to at least one embodiment ofthe present disclosure. In FIG. 20, the method 1000 begins with the step1010 of establishing a first telephone call with a debtor having one ormore accounts. A first call may be established by making the first callto the first debtor or receiving the first call from the first debtor.The first call may be made or received in a variety of ways, such as,for example, a user manually dialing or answering a phone or using anautomated dialer system, such as the GC dialer or Contact Savvy™ dialingsystem provided by Ontario Systems, LLC.

As shown in FIG. 20, the method 1000 also includes the step 1020 ofautomatically displaying relevant account information for the debtor inan easily accessible presentation. The presentation may be displayed atvarious times and based on various actions, such as, for example, whenone of the accounts of the debtor is accessed by a user (e.g., acollection agent). Such account information can include a contacthistory for the debtor that includes the type of contact made (e.g.,unanswered phone calls made, phone messages left, e-mails, discussionshad with the debtor, letters, and the like) and the total number ofcontacts with the debtor made since the creation of at least the one ormore accounts. For example, the contact history can include the totalnumber of calls ever made to the debtor and/or received from the debtorsince the origination of one or more of the debtor's accounts. Thecontact history can also include the total number of contacts ever madewith the debtor. The contact history may further include the totalnumber of calls and/or contacts on one or more single days, for a week,for a month, and other time periods. A contact made with the debtor caninclude when the debtor has answered a telephone call and when a callfrom the debtor has been answered. The account information displayed canalso include the number of letters sent, payment history, paymentarrangements (including indications of whether the arrangement has beenkept or broken), or interruptions in the collection efforts (like adispute raised by the debtor, a cease all communication alert, or acomplaint filed by or against the debtor).

The following discussion relating to FIGS. 21 a-21 n describes anexample of a computer graphical user interface showing steps of method1000 that is referred to herein as the Collection Management tool. TheCollection Management tool may incorporate business or collectionintelligence to provide a user with a rich, context-aware interface formonitoring accounts. The Collection Management tool may include theability to alert users to recent and historical activity for a debtor,to track calls and payments to determine the best way to contact adebtor, and update information for a debtor in real time or near realtime. It also may offer displays for a user to quickly and easilydetermine who is responsible for particular accounts for individualsthat share some accounts. The Collection Management tool generallyallows individuals that manage receivables to receive currentinformation for accounts in a timely fashion without the need for an ITadministrator by providing a user-friendly application and automatingmany of the steps of operation. It improves efficiency of operationsthrough a proactive approach to collection process automation.

FIG. 21 a shows an exemplary embodiment of a graphical user interface ofthe Collection Management tool displaying account/debtor information ofan individual named Tye Lerr, including an Anchor portion 20 i andActivity Ribbon 20 ii. While the account information is displayed usingAnchor portion 20 i and Activity Ribbon 20 ii, any number of displaymechanisms can be used to present this information. In FIG. 21 a, theAnchor portion 20 i includes a Status section 20 a showing thecollection process has been suspended for this account, a Lead Accountsection 20 b showing the basic details of the account, and an Alertssection 20 d showing that for this account all communications are to bestopped. In FIG. 21 a, the Activity Ribbon 20 ii includes a ContactHistory section 20 c showing how much and when the debtor has beencontacted. FIG. 21 b shows another example of an Anchor portion 21 i andActivity Ribbon 21 ii of the Collection Management tool. In FIG. 21 b,the Activity Ribbon 21 ii includes an indication that a paymentagreement has been broken by the debtor (indicated in this embodiment bya picture of a broken heart).

As shown in FIG. 21 a, the Lead Account section 20 b displays the nameof the debtor (Tye Lerr), the total amount of debt ($2,956.25) in oneaccount, and the name of the creditor (ABC Collection). In FIG. 21 a,the Contact History section 20 c displays the number of calls made toTye Lerr (3), the number of times Tye Lerr has been contacted (3), andthe number of letters that have been sent to Tye Lerr (0). The ContactHistory section 20 c also includes historical information regardingattempts to contact the debtor, Tye Lerr. As shown in FIG. 21 a, theContact History section 20 c indicates that there were no attempts tocontact (and therefore no contacts with) Tye Lerr yesterday or lastweek. Of course, the Contact History section 20 c may include varioustype of information in a variety of formats, such as, for example, itcould display each day of previous days individually instead of groupingthose days together into “this week.” In FIG. 21 a, the Alerts section20 d displays “Cease Communications,” which informs the user reviewingthe account that the user should not contact Tye Lerr. Such a messagemay be the result of the receipt of a notification stating that theagency should cease and desist all communications to the debtor (e.g.,the debtor defers communications to its attorney, debtor filesbankruptcy, the debtor disputes the debt, or the debtor is deceased).

The display of the collection activity history can help a collectionsagent readily/immediately grasp the status of the account or accountsfor a debtor prior to and/or during a call with the debtor. For example,suppose an automated dialer system is used to call debtor A. Prior to orconcurrent with debtor A answering her telephone, a collections agenthaving access to a display containing the contact history of debtor Acan quickly make some determinations regarding the debtor A. Forexample, the collections agent can determine that debtor A has beencalled several times over the last week but has not been contacted(e.g., debtor A has not answered her telephone). This may prompt thecollections agent to ask debtor A whether the collections system has thecorrect contact information for debtor A or whether there is a betterphone number to reach the debtor A at during the time being called. Inshort, the displaying of a debtor's contact history (and other debtorrelated information discussed below) can shorten the time needed for acollections agent to become familiar with the debtor on the line, beingcalled, or the debtor that is calling in.

FIG. 21 c shows a graphical user interface of the Collection Managementtool displaying account information for the same individual in FIG. 21 abut at a different stage in the collection cycle. In particular, theStatus section 22 a shows a pre-collection cycle for the account. FIG.21 c also shows the same Lead Account section 22 b and Contact Historysection 22 c as FIG. 21 a. However, the Alerts section 22 d does notdisplay any current alert for the user, which means that the collectionagent is free to contact the debtor, Tye Lerr.

FIG. 21 d-I shows a graphical user interface of the CollectionManagement tool displaying a payment arrangement window. As shown inFIG. 21 d-I, the payment arrangement window can allow a user to set upvarious payment plans, including partial payment and settlement of thedebt. The payment arrangement window may be accessed by the user duringa call with a debtor or at another time or may be automaticallypresented to the user during a call. Upon payment, the Anchor portion 20i and/or Activity Ribbon 20 ii in FIG. 21 a may be updated in real time,near real time, or at another time (e.g., after confirmation by a debtmanager) to show that the payment has been made. FIG. 21 d-II shows agraphical user interface of the Collection Management tool that displaysif “Credit Card” payment is elected in field 25 h of FIG. 21 d-I. FIG.21 d-III shows a graphical user interface of the Collection Managementtool that displays if the “Edit Card” button 25 k of FIG. 21 d-II isselected. In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, whilethe graphical user interface of FIG. 21 d-III is displayed, voicerecording of the session between the debtor and the collection agentceases or is rendered inaudible. The debtor's credit card number,expiration date, and other billing information may be entered intofields 25 m of FIG. 21 d-III. This data is saved when the “OK” button 25p of FIG. 21 d-III is selected. Once saved, the graphical user interfaceof FIG. 21 d-III disappears and normal voice recording of the sessionbetween the debtor and the collection agent resumes.

In FIG. 20, the method 1000 may optionally include the step 1030 ofafter the first call with the first debtor has ended, establishing asecond call with a second debtor having one or more accounts andautomatically displaying a contact history for the second debtor. Thetype of information displayed for the second debtor may be the same asthe type of information displayed for the first debtor. However, thedisplay for each debtor may be unique to the respective debtor. Once acollection agent finishes working an account or hangs up her call withthe first debtor and instructs the system to call another account, theagent will be fed another account where the dialer has establishedcontact with a second debtor (e.g., step 1030). In such a situation, thecollection agent will either be ready to jump from one call to the nextor will be ready to start the conversation but will need to continuewrapping up the agent's documentation of its conversation with the firstdebtor. In the latter case and as described in more detail below, thefirst debtor screen will continue to be displayed while the agentfinishes up its documentation of the agent's call with the first debtor(e.g., in a wrap up screen or in the note section) and a call previewsection 24 n (see FIG. 21 f) will be displayed giving the agent enoughinformation regarding the second debtor and debtor's account to startthe conversation (e.g., the name of the debtor, the amount owed on theaccount, etc.).

As alluded to above, after the call with a debtor or other party ends,the collection agent may be presented with a call wrap up screen. FIG.21 e shows an example of a call wrap up interface according to at leastone embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 21 e, thecall wrap up interface may ask the collection agent to indicate theresult and observations of the call so that the system may appropriatelyadjust scores (described below) on phone numbers or other contactinformation, adjust scores on accounts, engage regulatory safetymeasures based on the data collected, and/or take other action or makeconclusions regarding the respective account.

FIG. 21 f shows a graphical user interface of the Collection Managementtool displaying a Call Preview section 24 n. The Call Preview section 24n shows information relating to an account holder who is different thanthe account holder who is featured in the Collection Management tool. InFIG. 21 f, the account holder who is featured in the tool is RalphSmith, while the account holder in Call Preview section 24 n is JimJones. The Call Preview section 24 n may appear in the tool for avariety of reasons. For example, the section 24 n may be populatedsimply based upon the collection agent indicating she is ready foranother a call while she is wrapping up documenting her conversationwith a first debtor (e.g., user is finishing a note related to RalphSmith and the dialer has made contact with Jim Jones, etc.). In anotherexample, the section 24 n may be populated based upon an incoming phonecall from the account holder. In this case, the user may be talking withRalph Smith on a phone call when Jim Jones calls in to the user. Thetool may recognize Jim Jones' phone number and include his informationinto the section 24 n for the user to view while still talking withRalph Smith. This can help the user be a more efficient debt collector.

The Call Preview section 24 n may be triggered after a user disconnectsfrom a call with a first debtor. For example, a collection agent mayupdate information regarding the first debtor after the call with thefirst debtor ends (e.g., attending to a wrap up call screen or callbackscheduling task) while a dialer system sends a new call for a second(unrelated) debtor to the same collection agent. When the dialer systemsends the new (second) call, the tool may provide a preview (in the CallPreview section 24 n) of key information for the second debtor so thecollection agent can start the conversation with the second debtor whilefinishing updating the information on the first debtor. As shown in FIG.21 f, the preview may include debtor name, account balance, creditor,status of account, and any warnings. Of course, the preview may includemore or less information regarding the account and account party.

The same preview of information may be displayed in Call Preview section24 when a first collection agent is attending to a first accountbelonging to a first debtor and a second collection agent forwards asecond account of a second debtor or a call with a second debtor to thefirst collector. In such a case, the first collector may receive apreview (in the Call Preview section 24 n) of key information regardingthe second debtor and be permitted to accept or deny the transfer. FIG.21 g shows another example of a Call Preview section 24 adjacent to anAnchor portion 25 i. It should be noted that the Call Preview section 24may be displayed in various other locations so as to be readilyavailable to a user.

After a call or at another time, a collection agent may schedule acallback to follow up with a debtor regarding an account. FIG. 21 hshows an example of a callback user interface according to at least oneembodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 21 h, thecollection agent can record various information, including, for example,the desired date and time of the callback, the team and the person tomake the callback, the desired phone number to call, and/or a commentabout why the callback should be made. While scheduling a callback, auser may be able to view the availability of any user to help avoidoverlapping appointments. After the callback is created, the account maybe tagged or otherwise identified with a callback marker that enablesany user to see the scheduled callback, reschedule it, or snooze thecallback for a short time.

FIG. 21 i shows an example of a callback interface that may be presentedto a user at or near the time of the scheduled callback according to atleast one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 21 i,the callback interface may allow a collection agent to delay thecallback, dismiss the callback, update the callback information, andotherwise identify the basic information regarding the callback. In atleast one embodiment of the present disclosure, if a particularcollection agent is unable to handle the scheduled callback at thescheduled time, the callback may roll to another collection agent, suchas an agent that is part of a particular collection team. FIG. 21 jshows an example of how a collection agent may be notified of a callbackappointment while using the Collection Management tool. In FIG. 21 j,the collection agent may select the callback tag (which is adjacent tothe Anchor portion) to receive the callback user interface shown in FIG.21 i.

As shown in FIG. 20, the method 1000 may optionally include the step1040 of automatically displaying contact information for the firstdebtor. The contact information may include a variety of data regardingthe first debtor, such as, for example, one or more residentialaddresses for the first debtor, one or more phone numbers for the firstdebtor, and/or one or more e-mail addresses of the first debtor. Acollections agent may use this information to verify with the debtorthat such contact information is current.

FIG. 21 k shows a graphical user interface of the Collection Managementtool displaying a Potential Addresses section 25 a. In section 25 a,three addresses are shown that have previously been or may be the properaddress for the debtor (in this case, Tye Lerr). A user may select orverify one of these addresses as the correct address for the debtor.FIG. 21 k also shows a Telephone Score section 25 b. In section 25 b, alisting of telephone numbers is shown with several columns indicatingwhether the telephone number is a mobile number, whether the telephonenumber has been verified, whether the telephone number is bad, and thelike. Section 25 b also includes a score rating (in this case, therating is indicated by the number of stars) just beneath thecorresponding telephone number. FIG. 21 k also shows two notes (eachindicated by reference numeral 25 c) that have been selected forpreferential treatment (also referred to as “pinned”). As shown in FIG.21 k, each of these pinned notes has been moved to the top of the noteslisting and highlighted to allow a user to easily locate thisinformation.

FIG. 21 l shows a graphical user interface of the Collection Managementtool displaying an editable Primary Contact section 23 p. As shown inFIG. 21 l, the user can edit the Primary Contact Section 23 p to updatethe account holder's contact information. The account holder's contactinformation may be updated in other ways, such as, for example,automatically once another user verifies that new contact information(e.g., new phone number, new residential address) is the best contactdata for the debtor.

As shown in FIG. 20, the method 1000 may optionally include the step1050 of automatically displaying a listing of each of the accounts ofthe first debtor. In FIG. 20, the method 1000 may optionally include thestep 1060 of displaying identifiers configured to distinguish tiedaccounts of the first debtor in the listing from the accounts of thefirst debtor that are not tied to another debtor. In addition oralternatively, the parties themselves may be colored a certain color orthere may be colored dots in front of the parties names in the listingto indicate who are responsible parties on the particular account andthus, can discuss the account. The collections agent can, for example,readily identify which accounts the agent is legally allowed to discuss(and/or should even bother discussing) with the particular debtor.

Referring to FIG. 21 a, the Collection Management tool may include aTie/Party section 20 e, which includes related parties and tiedaccounts. As shown in FIG. 21 a, the Tie/Party section 20 e displays twodebtors, Tye Lerr and Misses Lerr. There are two debtors listed in thissection 20 e because at least one of the accounts is shared (or tied).That is, they both are responsible for at least one of the accounts.FIG. 21 m shows another example of a Tie/Party section 21 e. In FIG. 21m, the Tie/Party section 21 e lists the account balance, the partiesrelated to this particular account (namely, Tye Lerr and Misses Lerr),indicates which of the parties the collection agent can contact (viacolor indicators), and includes a message regarding the status of one ofthe parties (namely, “cease” communications with Misses Lerr). As shownin FIG. 21 c, the Tie/Party section 22 e includes a listing of relatedparties to an account set, as well as a listing of all of the accountsfor one of the parties, namely Tye Lerr.

As shown in FIG. 20, the method 1000 may optionally include the step1070 of automatically displaying one or more notes relating to theprevious calls to the first debtor. The notes may include brief messagesthat summarize what was discussed or decided on during a call with thedebtor. For example, if the debtor mentions that he made a payment on acertain day, the collections agent may memorialize this information in anote. The note may appear in the display with other debtor informationeach time the collections agent calls or receives a call from thedebtor. In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, acollections agent can select (or “pin”) a note, which will cause it tobe distinguished as important and/or moved to the top of the notes list.As shown in FIG. 21 a, the Collection Management tool may also include aNotes section 20 f, which includes messages listed by one or more usersregarding the debtor, such as descriptions of communications with thedebtor. FIG. 21 l shows an example of a Notes section 21 f of theCollection Management tool with a note that has been pinned.

It should be noted that the Collection Management tool may includevarious visual representations of outstanding verifications and/ormissing information for collection agents. Such visual representationsmay appear at various times and/or upon various actions, such as, forexample, when a connected call is detected. FIG. 21 n shows an exampleof an Address section of a user interface of the Collection Managementtool. In FIG. 21 n, the Address section 30 b that has blanks or checkboxes for the collection agent to complete, if possible, and flags toindicate to the collection agent that there are blanks and/or checkboxes requiring input.

Referring to FIG. 21 k, a Dialer section 25 d is shown in a userinterface of the Collection Management tool. The Dialer section 25 caninclude an indication of whether the dialer system is active. Of course,other information regarding the activity of the dialer system may bedisplayed in the Dialer section 25. It should be noted that a dialersystem may be shown in any display of the Collection Management tool orany display described above.

A graphical user interface according to the present disclosure, such asthe graphical user interfaces shown in FIGS. 21 a, 21 c, and 21 f,provide a user of a Collection Management tool of the presentdisclosure, such as a collection agent, with abundant account and debtorinformation on a single screen. Such a user is not required to navigatebetween multiple interfaces or execute queries in order to conduct atransaction with a debtor. Visual indicators and icons used in such agraphical user interface permit the efficient communication ofinformation, and preserve screen space for textual data. Activityribbons used in such a graphical user interface efficiently summarizethe history between a user of the Collection Management tool of thepresent disclosure, such as a collection agency, and the debtor andaccount under management. Content-rich alerts used in such a graphicaluser interface efficiently inform a user of the Collection Managementtool of the present disclosure, such as a collection agent, of upcomingactivities in the collection agent's workflow or changes in the debtoror account information.

FIG. 22 shows an exemplary embodiment of a computer-implemented methodfor automatically optimizing the management and collection ofreceivables 300 according to the present disclosure. In FIG. 22, themethod 300 includes the step 310 of tracking collection activity resultsfor contact information of a debtor, such as, for example, phonenumbers, e-mail addresses, and postal addresses. The collection activityresults may include various information about contact efforts using aparticular phone number, e-mail address, postal address, and the like.For example, the collection activity results may include the number oftimes the debtor has been contacted at a respective telephone numberabout one or more accounts, the time of day that the contact has beenmade, and/or an hour by hour breakdown of when contact has been made.The collection activity results and other debtor information discussedherein may be stored in a database, a dialer system, and the like.

In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, if a dialer systemis used, the dialer may assist with tracking various contactoccurrences, such as, for example, a busy signal, disconnected line,voicemail reached, no answer, answered within a certain number of rings,and the like. In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, ifthe collection agent manually calls debtors, a dialer system may stillgather information about each call, such as, for example, whether thecall is answered within a certain number of rings, is disconnected, orbusy in order to get reliable data. In addition or alternatively, thedialer system may determine when a call attempt is complete or otherdisposition of the call in order to save the collection agent time. ACollection Management tool according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure tracks all contact attempts and their results and gathersinformation from the dialer and the agent to determine the results ofthe call. Tracking includes calls not made via automatic dialing. As aresult, such data is available for analysis and workflow response.

As shown in FIG. 22, the method 300 also includes the step 320 ofscoring the contact information and the step 325 of determining a bestcontact data for the debtor based at least partially on the scores forthe contact information. The scoring step 320 may be based on a varietyof factors, such as, for example, the success rate of making contactwith the debtor and verification of contact information for the debtorby a collection agent. For example, if two telephone numbers are pursuedfor a debtor and the first number results in the successful contactingof the debtor and the second number does not, the first number may bescored higher.

The scoring step 320 may weight factors in various ways or otherwise bebased on predetermined rules. In at least one embodiment of the presentdisclosure, the scoring step 320 may be automatically performed byadding (or multiplying) a contactability number at a particular time anda contactability number for a particular contact number, address, etc.The contactability number for a particular contact number, address, etc.may be determined according to the number of times the contact number,address, etc. has been verified, right person has been called, when thenumber, address, etc. was last modified, number of attempts to contactthis number, address, etc., and the like. The contactability number fora particular time or timeframe may be determined according to how manytimes has the right person been contacted during this time or timeframe,whether the contact information is for the debtor's home and the time isduring debtor's work hours, whether the contact information is for thedebtor's work and the time is during debtor's work hours, the number ofattempts during this time and/or timeframe, and the like.

In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the scoring step320 may include determining an overall contactability score for eachcontact information by summing the following line item considerations:

-   -   multiplying 64 points times the number of right party calls        (RPC) in the last number of specified days (X days) divided by        the number of calls during that time;    -   if verified in the last X days, add 32 points;    -   if there have been no attempts on this phone in the last X days,        add 16 points;    -   if the number is new within the last X days, add 8 points;    -   if ever had an RPC or the phone number has ever been verified,        add 4 points;    -   multiplying 2 points times a trust level (source of information        manual, data svc, original creditor, migration, etc.);    -   if no call attempts in the last X days, add 1 point;    -   add 48 points for every RPC in the selected hour;    -   −12 points for each call attempt in the selected hour (attempts        less connects, busies, fails, or withdraws);    -   if the phone is a home number and it is during the debtor's work        hours (default value may be 9-4), add −24 points;    -   if the phone is a home number and it is outside of debtor's work        hours, add 24 points;    -   if the phone is a business phone and it is during work hours,        add 24 points; and    -   if the phone is a business phone and it is outside of the        debtor's work hours, add −24 points.

Of course, it should be understood that the example provided above maybe altered in various ways in order to achieve more accurate scoring ofcontact information. For example, additional line items may beintroduced, existing line items may be removed, point values may beadjusted, and other parameters may be adjusted.

It should be noted that various types of contact information (e.g.,e-mail addresses, postal addresses, and telephone numbers) may be scoreddifferently depending on the type of contact. For example, the scoringstep 320 for postal addresses may be based on a variety ofconsiderations, including, but not limited to, the source of theaddress, how long the address has been known, whether letters werereturned as undeliverable, and the like. If a notification of returnedmail is received and after a discussion with the debtor, the address maybe recorded as bad and the “next best” address will take its place. Oneor both of the tracking step 310 and scoring step 320 may be performedin real time, at predetermined intervals, or other timeframes.

As noted above, the method 300 also includes the step 325 of determininga best contact data for the debtor based at least partially on thescores for the contact information. In at least one embodiment of thepresent disclosure, the best contact data may be determined solely bythe scoring step 320. That is, the contact data with the best score fromscoring step 320 may be the best contact data. In at least oneembodiment of the present disclosure, the step 325 may consider variousfactors and information, such as, for example, the time of day and thelike.

In at least one embodiment, a Collection Management tool of the presentdisclosure comprises dynamic contactability scoring and accountcontactability ranking. If information in a debtor account changes, thecontactability score for that debtor is re-computed. The debtor'scontactability score then is automatically ranked against other debtoraccounts in the contact queue and made available to the automaticdialer. Based on its contactability score, the account could be the nextaccount dialed even if moments before it had not been in the contactqueue. An example of this would be an account that is paused incollection activity while the agency awaits information from theoriginal creditor. A customer service representative may get newinformation about the account from the original creditor, and thenupdates the account with that new information. The contactability scoreis computed and the account is immediately made available to the dialer.

In at least one embodiment, a Collection Management tool of the presentdisclosure comprises a method for automatically preventing a call to adebtor if such a call would violate legal, regulatory, or policyconsiderations. In such an embodiment, before a call to a debtor isplaced the account/debtor information, call history, time of day, andother factors are evaluated against predetermined legal, regulatory,and/or policy considerations. If such an evaluation determines thatplacing the call to the debtor would violate applicable legal,regulatory, or policy considerations, the call is skipped until suchtime as it would not violate applicable legal, regulatory, or policyconsiderations.

As shown in FIG. 22, the method 300 may optionally include the step 330of calling or contacting the debtor using the best contact information.As noted above, such a call or other contact may be manually performedor automatically performed (e.g., using a dialer system). Also, themethod 300 may optionally include the step 340 of displaying the bestcontact information for the first debtor. For instance, all or a portionof a debtor's best contact data may be displayed in a manner that isreadily available to the user. As shown in FIG. 22, the method 300 mayoptionally include the step 350 of displaying one or more additionalentries of contact information. For example, a best telephone number maybe listed above several other phone numbers in a user interface.

As shown in FIG. 22, the method 300 may optionally include the step 360of displaying a list of contact information based upon the scores of thecontact information with the best contact information at the top of thelist. After step 360, the method 300 may optionally repeat the trackingstep 360, scoring step 320, and determination of best contact data step325 and then update the list. As shown in FIG. 22, the method 300 mayoptionally include the step 370 of determining collection strategies forone or more accounts for the first debtor and the step 380 of applyingthe one or more collection strategies to one or more accounts of thefirst debtor. In FIG. 22, the steps 370, 380 are performed before thetracking step 310. Alternatively, the steps 370, 380 may be performedafter the tracking step 310 or both. In any event, the results of thecollection strategies may be included in the determination of the bestcontact information step 325. It should be noted that a collectionagency may require that the contact history, contact information, andother debtor information be updated, vetted, or otherwise current (e.g.,verified within the last 2 months) before a collection strategy isapplied to one or more accounts.

It should be noted that in one or more of methods 1000 and 300, acollections agent may send a call to the agent's supervisor and thesupervisor's computer may then display contact history of the firstdebtor and other information regarding the first debtor, even if thecall is sent from a terrestrial telephone line to a smart phone.Supervisors thereby are more accessible to their subordinates and canaccept an account and voice call transfer wherever they are. If notalready indicated, it should also be noted that one or more of the stepsdescribed above may be performed automatically.

It should be noted that the systems, methods, and computer-readablemedia disclosed herein and portions thereof may be combined with,integrated with, incorporated into, or otherwise implemented withvarious other systems, methods, and computer-readable mediums disclosedherein and portions thereof. For example, methods disclosed elsewhere inthis application (e.g., methods 100 a,b) may be performed prior to step1010 of method 1000 of the present disclosure and may be at leastpartially responsible for generating the call in step 1010. For example,the call may be part of the implementation of a strategy. In anotherexample, methods 100 a,b may be triggered in view of the best contactinformation determined in method 300 at step 325. In another example,the Margin Watch tool may support or perform the actions in step 390 ofmethod 300. In another example, the Strategy Commander tool may supportor perform the actions in step 370 and/or step 380 of method 300. Thepossible combinations of methods and systems listed above are notexhaustive but provided as examples. It should be appreciated that othercombinations and interactions of the methods may be implemented in orderto provide a user with the tools and information to effectively collectunpaid debt.

FIG. 23 shows a block diagram of at least one embodiment of a system formanaging and collecting receivables according to the present disclosure.Shown in FIG. 23 is server 2301, on which database 2302 is stored.Server 2301 comprises one or more host servers, computing devices, orcomputing systems configured and programmed to carry out the functionsallocated to server 2301 according to the present disclosure. Server2301 comprises at least one processor and at least one form of memory,including but not limited to a recordable computer-readable medium.Server 2301 may be operated by, or under the control of, a “systemoperator,” which may be an individual or a business entity. For purposesof clarity, server 2301 is shown in FIG. 23 and referred to herein as asingle server. Server 2301 need not, however, be a single server. Server2301 may comprise a plurality of servers or other computing devices orsystems connected by hardware and software that collectively areoperable to perform the functions allocated to server 2301 according tothe present disclosure. In at least one embodiment, server 2301 may beoperable to be a web server, configured and programmed to carry out thefunctions allocated to server 2301 according to the present disclosure.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 23, database 2302 resides on server2301. Database 2302 may, however, reside on a server or computing deviceremote from server 2301, provided the remote server or computing deviceis capable of bi-directional electronic communication with server 2301.The remote server or computing device upon which database 2302 residesmay be operated by, or under the control of, the system operator.Preferably, the remote server or computing device upon which database2302 resides may be electronically connected to server 2301 such thatthe remote server or computing device is in continuous bi-directionalcommunication with server 2301. For purposes of clarity, database 2302is shown in FIG. 23 and referred to herein as a single database. It willbe appreciated that database 2302 may comprise a plurality of databasesconnected by software that collectively are operable to perform thefunctions allocated to database 2302 according to the presentdisclosure.

In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, server 2301comprises at least two computing devices in a redundant configuration.In such an embodiment, in the case of a failure of one such computingdevice or a failure of the connection between one such computing deviceand network 2304, the other such computing device will automaticallybecome available to carry out the functions allocated to server 2301according to the present disclosure. In such an embodiment, database2302 is replicated on at least two such computing devices. In at leastone such embodiment, at least two such computing device areelectronically interconnected by dual path, redundant electronicinterconnection.

Also shown in FIG. 23 are computer network 2304 and computing devices2305. For purposes of clarity, computer network 2304 is shown in FIG. 23as a single computer network. Computer network 2304 may, however,comprise a plurality of computer networks. Computer network 2304 maycomprise a global computer network, such as, for example, the Internet.Computing devices 2305 are computers, computing devices, or computingsystems, such as one or more mainframe computers, workstations, personalcomputers, laptop computers, hand-held computers, smart phones, tablets,cellular phones, or other Internet-enabled devices. Computing devices2305 each comprises at least one processor and at least one form ofmemory, including but not limited to a recordable computer-readablemedium. If computer network 2304 comprises the Internet, resident oncomputing devices 2305 is a software for browsing the Internet andinterpreting and displaying webpages, such as, for example, InternetExplorer® or Mozilla® or Safari® or Chrome™. Computing devices 2305 areoperated by users of a system for managing and collecting receivablesaccording to the present disclosure.

While this disclosure has been described as having various embodiments,these embodiments according to the present disclosure can be furthermodified within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Thisapplication is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, oradaptations of the disclosure using its general principles. For example,any methods disclosed herein and in the appended documents represent onepossible sequence of performing the steps thereof. A practitioner maydetermine in a particular implementation that a plurality of steps ofone or more of the disclosed methods may be combinable, or that adifferent sequence of steps may be employed to accomplish the sameresults. Each such implementation falls within the scope of the presentdisclosure as disclosed herein and in the appended claims. Furthermore,this application is intended to cover such departures from the presentdisclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art towhich this disclosure pertains.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method forfacilitating the collection of receivables, the method comprising thestep of: establishing a first call with a first debtor having one ormore accounts; and automatically displaying information for the firstdebtor in a single graphical user interface so that a collection agentmay identify key information regarding the first debtor and the one ormore accounts.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step ofestablishing the first call comprises the step of using an automateddialer system.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:automatically displaying contact information for the first debtor,wherein the contact information comprises at least one of a residentialaddress, a phone number, and an e-mail address.
 4. The method of claim1, further comprising the steps of: after the first call with the firstdebtor ends, establishing a second call with a second debtor having oneor more accounts; and automatically displaying a contact history for thesecond debtor, wherein the contact history for the second debtorcomprises a total number of calls with the second debtor since thecreation of at least one of the one or more accounts for the seconddebtor and a total number of contacts made with the second debtor on thetotal number of calls.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step ofestablishing the second call comprises the step of using an automateddialer system.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:automatically displaying one or more notes on said graphical userinterface.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:automatically displaying a listing of each of the one or more accountsof the first debtor.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising thestep of: displaying one or more identifiers configured to signal whichdebtor is responsible for the account and allowed to discuss theaccount.
 9. A computer-implemented method for the management andcollection of receivables, the method comprising the step of: trackingcollection activity results for each of at least two telephone numbersrelating to a first debtor having one or more accounts, wherein thecollection activity results comprise at least the number of times thefirst debtor has been contacted at the respective telephone number aboutthe one or more accounts; and scoring each of the at least two telephonenumbers relating to the first debtor based upon the collection activityresults to determine a best telephone number from the at least twotelephone numbers for the first debtor.
 10. The method of claim 9,further comprising: the step of calling the first debtor using the besttelephone number.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: thestep of displaying the best telephone number for the first debtor. 12.The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: displaying asecond telephone number of the at least two telephone numbers.
 13. Themethod of claim 9, further comprising the step of: displaying at leasttwo of the at least two telephone numbers as a list, wherein the orderof the list is at least partially based upon the scores of each of theat least two of the at least two phone numbers such that the besttelephone number is the first entry in the list.
 14. The method of claim13, further comprising the step of: repeating the tracking and scoringsteps and updating the list on the display.